1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting and verifying the quality of package seals, especially yet optionally hermetically sealed packages, and further relates to methods for inspecting package seals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Quality packaging has become an integral component in the advertisement and sale of various consumer products and commodities. For example, food products such as snack foods, meat, fish and poultry and perishable items are often hermetically sealed in flexible and/or rigid packages. The hermetic seal serves several functions. In the event fragile items such as potato chips are located in the package, an air cushion locked in the hermetic seal may serve to guard the packaged contents from damage. The hermetic seal may also serve to preserve freshness of the packaged contents. Additionally, consumers often will associate broken seals with tampering or lack of freshness, and may reject a product lacking a proper seal. It is therefore highly desirable to subject packages to a process by which a seal on the package is checked for integrity.